Kingda Ka Vs Top Thrill Dragster

[Millennium Force 44]

After riding both Kingda Ka and Cedar Point's Top Thrill Dragster, I thought about which coaster, although very similar, is more exciting. I guess since Kingda Ka is taller and faster, it is a more exciting experience. Kingda Ka's camelback also delivers a great amount of airtime. On the other hand, Top Thrill Dragster is more exhilarating since riders are only held in place with a simple lap bar, opposed to Kingda Ka's armstrap restraints. I also find Top Thrill Dragster to be a bit less rough on the launch.
What are your ideas about the two coasters?

The record breaking KINGDA KA
or
The original TOP THRILL DRAGSTER?

[GADVwow]

Although I dearly love Kingda Ka. have I missed something?

Airtime on the "camelback?"

I have ridden Kingda Ka many dozens of times, and have yet to experience anything after the vertical drop even resembling airtime.

[MForce23]

Although I dearly love Kingda Ka. have I missed something?

Airtime on the "camelback?"

I have ridden Kingda Ka many dozens of times, and have yet to experience anything after the vertical drop even resembling airtime.

 I get airtime on the camelback.

[rjholla2003]

I've had some of my favorite airtime moments on Kingda Ka.  When it's running hot, you get lifted up out of your seat, and the braking gives you a sensation of gliding diagonally up and forward.  You end the ride seated in a completely different position.

[PcMan]

Yes its floater air but its hard to feel it with the restraints.
To me the rides so fast and after the drop its hard to notice unless you think about it. 

I think I got some air over the Top while in the 2nd row this year 

[Dubya91]

The Camelback has Airtime!? What!? Jimmity Christmas, Get the President on the phone ASAP and scramble the F-16s!

[rjholla2003]

After 40 rides in a day, you get about every personality the coaster can throw at you.  It's like a bell curve.  There's a minority of the rides where it's running cold.  Those rides you get no airtime at all.  It also features a launch that pulses 3-5 times throughout it's duration.  Then there's the middle ground.  Most of the time it's warming up, delivering some floater air over the tophat, and a little bit of floater air over the hill.  It also features 0-2 pulses during the launch.  The other minority is when it's running hot.  You get a solid, very powerful launch when it's running like this.  The airtime is almost Storm Runner-ish on the tophat, which IMO is pure bliss.  The hill provides some very nice airtime, and the brakes provide the aforementioned "diagonal airtime" phenomenon.  This personality is what I personally refer to as "Ka the BEAST!"

[coastersue]

In this case, I would take Top Thrill Dragster.  I'm not a fan of the Intamin OSTR's so having the lap bars is a definite advantage.  I also think TTD gives a smoother ride and a better view.

[WadeJ]

I'm sorry to say but at this point, I think I prefer TTD as well.  I love the interaction with the midway, which somehow, CP doesn't feel is dangerous whilie we can't even walk through our queue any more.  I also prefer the lapbar vs. the OTSR as well.

However, I really like Ka's station and overall theme better along with the return camel.  Simple things like reopening the observation deck for the launch and having some sort of countdown with maybe a tiger roar on launch (since the horn was axed by neighbors) would add some of that excitement back that Ka seems to be missing.

But for now in its current form, I'd have to go with TTD.

And yes, for some reason, Kingda Ka is MUCH rougher than TTD.

[coastermom]

I also have to say TTD is better for these reasons :

KK had the OTSR which I am NOT a big fan of .

KK is rougher then TTD and TTD has a better feeling the area around the ride is so exciting and the viewing area is there as well as is the count down to launch. All these small things make TTD  more "Thrilling" for lack of a better word .

And what ever happend to the tiger roar anyway is that too loud too??

[rjholla2003]

There never was a tiger roar, only the horn.  I always thought there should have been a tiger roar with the launch.  My only real wish right now is that either NJ relaxes the measures that need to be taken to use the real queue (which is AMAZING), or that SFI puts out the necessary funds to make the modifications needed, AND make it look as good as everything else.

As far as Kingda Ka not interacting with the park, that does indeed suck.  A centerpiece like that should be able to tower directly over it's patrons and make you beg for mercy.  It looks way less imposing than it really is because of it's location.  If I were ever to get my hands on Great Adventure in my professional career, I've got a plan for that.  Muah-ha-ha!

-rj "I'm keeping that idea in the bank" holla 2003

[coastermom]

I know there was never a tiger roar but weren't they working on it? or thinking about it at one time?

[WadeJ]

You might have been recalling one of our tours where we suggested they add something like that after being told why the horn stopped.

[Dubya91]

Nothing beats the view of Millie when your crawling over TTD's tophat

[SilverBullet]

I'm a Intamin OTSR fanboy.

Best OTSR ever.

[ChuckR]

I don't know, I only ridden TTD once and I have ridden Ka over ninety times now. When I rode TTD, it just felt so short compared to Ka and I didn't get that WOW factor like I did on Ka.

Oh well, I'll see how TTD is in June when I go there for Coastermania.

[Millennium Force 44]

Whatever happened to Kingda Ka's horn? Also, I never got on Kingda Ka when the original queue was up, but why did that go?

[SilverBullet]

The horn was removed due to neighbors of the park that complained of the noise.

The old queue was removed due to the accident it had its first year and the state said it can't open again.

[coastermom]

You might have been recalling one of our tours where we suggested they add something like that after being told why the horn stopped.


Yeah that may be it . I still think they need it . It makes the sitting there waiting for it to go a little more exciting .

[Millennium Force 44]

What accident with the queue?

[rjholla2003]

http://themeparks.about.com/od/sixflagsarticles/a/KingdaMalfuncti.htm

[lore1991]

I prefer KKA to TTD for the most powerful throw, the height, the spiral and because it's more intense than TTD... but from TTD you can see a great landscape and you can experience more freedom sense... however I love both

[Bubba Z]

 Wow , I never answered this......TTD wins over KK!   Lap Bar,  View and it doesn't shake as bad.

[overlord]

Way to bump an old topic! I have to say in general, Lap Bar Rocket coasters are so much better then Horse Collar Rocket coasters.

[Bubba Z]

^ I had to redirect a new  question to  an old thread.  Then I realized I never answered the question  to begin with.